UKRI: Proof of Concept

UKRI has pre-announced a call for proof-of-concept funding. Awards will be a minimum of £100,000 for a six month project, and up to £250,000 for a twelve month project. UKRI’s deadline for full applications will be 29 May 2025. Please note that an internal selection process may be run for this call (details below). 

The funding call
The funding opportunity will support and accelerate the development of new or improved technologies, products, processes, and services arising from research activities. The award aims to facilitate and de-risk the commercialisation of research, so as to enable spinouts or social ventures, licensing or other commercial pathways. Applications are welcomed from any discipline, including cross and multidisciplinary approaches. 

UKRI will consider applications for projects that are not eligible for proof-of-concept funding via existing UKRI funding opportunities. Successful applications will address both of the following types of activity: 

  • The further development or advancement of research toward specific user needs and market use or audiences
  • The development of the commercialisation requirements needed to reach those users and markets. 

The following activities will not be funded by this call: curiosity driven or discovery research, public engagement activities, the filing of intellectual property (e.g. patent, trademark, registered design). 

UKRI and Oxford application processes

Registering of Intent to Submit (ItS) an application - UKRI deadline: Monday 3 March 2025 
The ItS will be submitted by survey. Applicants who do not submit an ItS will not be invited by UKRI to submit a full application. 

  • Please contact your divisional contact (details below) before submitting an ItS so that they are aware that you are applying for this funding. 
  • In answer to the question “Please provide an email address for your Research Office or Technology Transfer Office (TTO)”, please input: srd.team@admin.ox.ac.uk. This email address is for the Strategic Research Development team in Research Services, who will coordinate a selection process (see below) should one be needed; inputting the SRD Team email address will mean that they are copied when you are invited by UKRI to submit a full application.   

Oxford’s provisional internal selection process - deadline: 12.00pm Wednesday 26 March 2025 
UKRI has indicated that demand management, i.e., limiting the number of applications an institution can submit, is likely to be imposed at full application stage. UKRI is expected to provide details of their requirements by the call opening date (12 March 2025). 

Because the timeline for this funding call is so short, Oxford has prepared an internal selection process to be implemented if demand management is announced by UKRI. (If UKRI do not apply demand management, there will be no internal selection process). Further details will be published on this webpage after 12 March. 

Details of the proposed internal selection process are set out below, so that applicants are prepared to submit at short notice: 

  • Applicants will be asked to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) via IRAMS. A link to the EoI form will be added to this page shortly.
  • The internal deadline for submission of EoIs will be 12.00pm 26 March 2025
  • EoIs will be reviewed by a cross-divisional panels of experts, who will notify the successful applicants by mid-April. 

Resources and Help

Co-ordinated University bids

SEE THE CURRENT CALLS

 

SEE THE CALL ARCHIVE